The Effect Of Farmer and Herder's Conflict On Food Security In The Agatu Local Government Of Benue State, Nigeria

The aim of this study is to examine the effect of security management strategies on farmer-herder conflicts in Benue State, Agatu Local Government of Benue State Nigeria. The background of farmer-herder conflicts is examined in Nigeria in general and the Agatu Local Government of Benue State in particular, which has attracted considerable local and international. The s t u d y stresses that Nigeria has failed to take intoconsideration the security management strategies but rather concentrated on other aspects of farmers-herder‘s conflicts. The research was undertaken to determine the effect of security management strategies on farmer-herdsmen conflicts in Benue State. It discusses the challenges of political authorities and security apparatuses in addressing the implications of farmer-herdsmen conflicts. The competitions between farmers and herders often lead to conflict, especially because the culture, livelihood and sustenance are centred on the availability of natural resources such as water and grazing land. Thus, natural resource conflicts are pervasive in the West African sub-region. The findings in this study reveal that the major cause of the conflict between farmers and herdsmen in Benue State is the scarcity of grazing land leading to the encroachment of cultivated farmland. It is also revealed that the mutual animosity between the farmers and herdsmen in Benue state has made the amicable resolution of the conflict difficult. Similarly, the study shows that the farmers and herdsmen do not trust their leaders when it comes to conflict management or resolution of the conflict and that both groups always suffer losses during the clashes.